21st March 1981
Sheffield United (h)



In many ways this game was an example of why Exeter City will finish among the also rans instead of winding up with a Third Division promotion medal at the end of the season. For they made their customary one glaring defensive mistake to let Sheffield United back into the match. And they surrendered their 16th home point when two were there for the taking. In fairness, the Bramall Lane side came intent on giv- ing Exeter a run for their money and the overall standard was a sparkling advertisement under atrocious conditions.
The rain bucketed down throughout, the pitch cut up, yet there was never a vindictive foul and there was enough goalmouth action to take the crowd's mind off the weather. If anything, Sheffield were better equipped to cope in a mudbath with a physically stronger side than Exeters. But City had the method and style to even things up, and their greater possession in the second half should have given them their second victory over Yorkshire opposition inside a week after beating Rotherham last Wednesday night. Alas, they failed to get the ball into the Sheffield penalty area quickly enough when they had United on the retreat. And neither was there any great conviction in the way they crossed the ball with Tony Kellow in the middle just crying out for decent service.

As if to prove the point, the one centre aimed directly at Kellow was dispatched into the net after 55 minutes for the Cornishman's 27th league and cup goal of the season. Ian Pearson and Dick Forbes opened up Sheffield along the right and Kellow dived forward to head Forbes's pass home as it landed between Sheffield's two central defenders. Then followed a couple of incidents in the space of a minute which were to send Sheffield away with a slice of the cake. First, left back John Sparrow had a wonderful opportunity to blast a second goal from 12 yards in the 68th mi- nute, but brushed the side netting. And then Sheffield immediately countered to take advantage of a rare mistake by central defender Phil Roberts to equalise in the 69th minute. Roberts headed a clearance straight into the path of striker Trenton Wiggan when he could have put the bail anywhere he chose.
Wiggan wasn't slow to seize advantage of the opening and his low cross was steered in by centre forward Steve Charles with the entire Exeter defence caught out Sheffield must have thought their luck was in at last, especially after a first half in which they were twice unlucky not to score. Recent signing Don Givens had the ball in the back of the Exeter net after just 15 seconds only to have the goal disallowed for offside. Then Bob Hatton struck the base of an upright on the half hour after midfielder John Ryan flighted a free kick to the edge of City's six yard area.

Exeter also had chances before the interval, notably when Lee Roberts headed over from close in and when Peter Rogers scooped the ball off his team mate's boot with Kellow about to deliver the killer blow. City forced 12 corners to Sheffield's five during the game yet only one, from Peter Hatch that flashed wide off Lee Roberts' head, caused the big Sheffield defence any alarm. Unfortunately such waste from so many dead ball situations proved Exeter's undoing. And with yet another home point dropped they waved goodbye to their last chance of ever catching the third division leaders this season.

Team

Main, M. Rogers, Sparrow, Forbes, L. Roberts, P. Roberts, Pearson, P. Rogers, Kellow, Delve, Hatch

Referee: Mr. H. King (Merthyr Tydfil).